Oakland ARB approves ordinance 20 26 0 5 to rezone 14.8-acre site for Oakland Town Center

The Town of Oakland Appearance Review Board on Aug. 4 approved ordinance 20 26 0 5 to rezone about 14.8 acres at the northwest corner of State Road 50 and Catherine Ross Road to a Planned Unit Development, adopting a development agreement and a preliminary subdivision plan.

Staff presented the proposal as an integrated package — rezoning, a development agreement that sets permitted uses and design standards, and a preliminary subdivision plan that would guide final engineering and permitting. "Staff does find the proposed Oakland Town Center as presented substantially compliant with the town of Oakland's land development code and the design district requirements, and do recommend approval of ordinance 20 26 0 5," staff said during the presentation. Applicant and project attorneys and designers then answered board questions on design, stormwater and access before the board voted.

The ordinance package covers a project the team described as 11 single-story commercial buildings totaling approximately 84,020 square feet accessed from multiple points off State Road 50 and Catherine Ross Road. Developer Alex Reese told the board the team had mitigated wetland and stormwater constraints and sees the project as an opportunity to bring curated retail and service tenants to Oakland. "It's gonna be an incredible project," Reese said during his remarks.

After discussion, a board member moved to accept ordinance 20 26 0 5 as presented; the board voted in favor with no recorded opposition. The approval establishes the development agreement and preliminary subdivision plan as the governing documents for final reviews; additional engineering, landscaping and permit approvals will be required in subsequent steps.